Something I thought might be worth mentioning

[donnaimmaculata]

I consider fanfiction, to a great degree, as a platform that allows me to lust after some man I fancy. Therefore, I prefer to read fics that are not written from that man's PoV. I want see him through the eyes of others, because, in order to find someone fanciable, I musn't know what's going on inside their heads. I want the mystery. I want to remain an outsider. I want the distance.

Does that make sense to anyone else beside myself?

Comments

[ptyx.livejournal.com]

I can understand, but I'm not like you. I think I'm weirder than you: I'm in love with a pairing, and I can identify myself with both of them.

[tammaiya.livejournal.com]

Yes, because otherwise it would be weirdly like fancying yourself. *giggle* And you know, there is a lack of gratuitous description of how gorgeous they are. Unless they're narcissistic, but... again, weirdly like fancying yourself.

[babycakesin.livejournal.com]

to.ta.lly.

I want my crush to remain a mystery, like it would be in RL - otherwise it's just too confusing. I want to see him through someone else's eyes (but not in a second person narrative though, I hate that)

[thetreacletart.livejournal.com]

That's a really interesting way to look at it. When I write het I tend to do so from the woman's POV and I think you've pretty much nailed the reason. I never would have realized it before, but it's probably true.

When I write slash it varies because I am usually drooling over both participants. :oD

Reading is different. I'll read it if I like the pairing or the author. POV doesn't really factor.

[megstuff.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I think for me it depends on the character, or maybe it depends on the reason I like the character. I like to see Snape from the outside (in fact I have little choice since I can't get very far into his head), but with other characters I often like to see from their POV.

Or maybe it depends on the pairing. If it's more of a sexually motivated relationship I probably want to see from the less-hot one's perspective; if I'm interested in them emotionally I want to look inside both of their heads to see how they go together.

[madamemim.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of fanficcers feel that way.
Sometimes it is so obvious you can practically see that pool of drool on the writer´s keyboard. *g*
For me, this kind of fic that revels in the physical beauty of one or both parts of a pairing is almost a genre by itself. I call it drool-fic.
You know, these stories that make you smile indulgently and think "Have it bad, eh?" :-)

By sheer coincidence I came upon such a story shortly after I read your entry, a Highlander rec on crack_van, an AU featuring Duncan McLeod as a waterhorse, a shapeshifter who takes the form of a magnificent stallion (oh, subtle!) one moment and turns into a gorgeous human male the next - a gloriously naked male, I should add.
Should this in any way remind you of Pratchett´s Greebo, don´t worry: no similarity whatsoever!
The moment when Methos turns and sees the creature in its human form for the first time is drool-fic par excellence!
Not that I dislike it, I quite enjoy it once in a while, but as I said: it makes me smile a bit. :-)
It´s the female equivalent to a bunch of males admiring Pamela Anderson´s boobs. Only women do it so much more elegantly and inventively than the average male.
That´s another reason why I love fanfic!

[rosina-alcona.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree more. Some characters I just cannot write because I want to be looking at them, dammit! And you want the other characters to appreciate their beauty and general wondrousness. Like you writing Snape/Remus. Although Snape doesn't like him, he can't help but be attracted to him and appreciate him because he (Remus) ROCKS! We already appreciate/want to shag/love him, but watching/writing the realisation dawn on someone else is great. Like we're nudging their elbow going 'look at that though! Look at his throat when he drinks! Don't tell me you don't like that...'

When Remus is being all mysterious and stuff, we don't want to know that he's thinking 'these underpants were a bad choice. I've totally got a wedgie.' Do we?